[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 5 (Friday, January 7, 1994)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-348]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: January 7, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

43 CFR Part 426

[RIN: 1006-AA31]

 

Acreage Limitation Reporting Threshold

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Withdrawal of notice of intent to propose rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is withdrawing its 
intention to conduct rulemaking to revise the threshold that exempts 
landholders from the information requirements of the Reclamation Reform 
Act of 1982 (RRA). The notice of intent was published in 57 FR 47437, 
Oct. 16, 1992. Instead, the threshold issue will be included in an 
upcoming, proposed westwide rulemaking. This action eliminates the need 
for a separate rulemaking for threshold changes, thereby allowing for a 
more economical, comprehensive westwide rulemaking.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Terry Lynott, Director, Policy and 
Programs, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office, P.O. Box 25007, Denver 
CO 80225.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The RRA and 43 CFR part 426 require 
landholders to submit forms annually in order to be eligible to receive 
irrigation water from Reclamation projects. Landholders disclose the 
Reclamation project land in their holdings on forms known as 
``certification and reporting forms'' and provide other information 
pertinent to their compliance with Reclamation law. Currently, 43 CFR 
426.10(g) exempts landholders from the forms requirements if the total 
of their direct and indirect interests in Reclamation project 
landholdings is 40 acres or less. Reclamation's preliminary review 
indicated that an exemption threshold higher than 40 acres may improve 
Reclamation's ability to administer the law while reducing the 
reporting burden on the public. Therefore, Reclamation published a 
notice of intent in 57 FR 47437 on October 16, 1992, to conduct 
rulemaking to revise the 40-acre reporting threshold.
    Reclamation is presently undertaking a westwide EIS and rulemaking 
to revise the regulations for implementing the RRA as a term of a 
settlement agreement. The settlement agreement, filed with the 9th 
Circuit Court on September 17, 1993, in the case Natural Resources 
Defense Council, et al. v. Beard, requires the draft EIS and rules to 
be prepared by December 1994, and the final EIS and rules, by August 
1995. Revising the 40-acre reporting threshold, found in 43 CFR part 
426, will be addressed in the above westwide EIS and rulemaking. It 
will be more economical to include the reporting threshold issue in the 
westwide EIS and rulemaking rather than address it separately and will 
also result in a more comprehensive westwide EIS and rulemaking.

    Dated: December 28, 1993.
Donald R. Glaser,
Deputy Commissioner.
[FR Doc. 94-348 Filed 1-6-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M